Ten things to watch in second half

The Orioles' Chris Davis will chase the American League home run record of 61 set by Roger Maris during the second half of the season. He had 37 homers going into the All-Star break.

BY RICK HUMMEL
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The winds of change in baseball have blown strongly this season. As the post All-Star break of the schedule begins Friday night, none of the teams who were leading their divisions at the All-Star break last year are leading now.

Last year, from east to west, the leaders were Washington, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles in the National League and New York, Chicago and Texas in the American League.

Your new leaders are Atlanta, St. Louis and Arizona in the NL and Boston, Detroit and Oakland in the American League.

Ten things to watch for in the second half:

1. PEDs or bust(ed)

Major leagues’ investigation of players involved in Biogenesis. Expect suspensions – and just as many appeals. Nobody loses time this season.

2. The chase for Maris begins anew

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis is bidding for home-run immortality. He has 37 now. The American League record still is Roger Maris’ 61. Davis says he considers that to be the real big-league mark, too.

3. Plank-walking Buccos?

Will the Pittsburgh Pirates avoid a third straight second-half collapse? They not only will finish above 500, they will make the playoffs.

4. The comeback trail

Will Chris Carpenter ever again pitch for the Cardinals? If he makes it through several rehab starts without incident, he will. But there are no guarantees of that.

5. Yasiel Puig

Fact or fiction? Division teams will be seeing young Dodgers slugger for a second, third and fourth time.

6. Under the Rays-dar

The Tampa Bay Rays are the best team every year that nobody pays attention to. David Price is healthy again to help fuel a rotation of young guns.

7. Yankees clipped

When they get some of their injured regulars back, will they be good enough? They’ll probably finish fourth out of five in stacked AL East.

8. No tears in these Sox

As good a story as Pittsburgh has been, the Boston Red Sox may be a better one as they have spent their money much more wisely than they used to.

9. No Chicago fire

Is there any hope for either Chicago team? Depending on how many players each team trades, Cubs and Sox could finish last in same season. The only time it’s happened is 1948.

10. The Cardinals

Can they make the playoffs before the last out of the season is recorded? They should. They’re 10 games clear of Washington, which has the third best wild-card mark.